We Believe
by EMOSAURUS
Summary: Story based on the beginning of the song We Believe, not a songfic. It's AU. Julia is alive, and on Joey's birthday, Craig's father doesn't drop him off to see her. The next morning...


We Believe

A/N: This is an AU fic. As you all know, I ONLY write Craig stories because...that's just how I am. Unless you ASK me to write about someone else. Then, sure, I'll go for it. Basically, this is about how Julia doesn't die and her regrets about the consequences of leaving her son with his father and her ex-husband. This is a really odd story. You don'tHAVE to read it. It's seriously messed up. But...yeah.If you've heard the song, you know how this is. But it's not a song fic. See? It's BASED on the beginning of the song. But I'll put the beginning of it in JUST FOR THE HELL OF IT! Okay, here it is:

"There's a woman crying out tonight  
Her world has changed  
She asks God why  
Her only son has died  
And now her daughter cries  
She can't sleep at night" –Good Charlotte

Julia Jeremiah had long been sorry that she'd left her only son, Craig, with his father. After she'd left Albert, her ex-husband, the custody courts gave him full custody of Craig. She cried for weeks. She loved him. She knew what happened behind closed doors. But she couldn't bring it up. She was scared. Scared to talk about it. The painful cries from his bedroom almost every night were too much for her to handle. So she left. Of course, she was even more scared to bring up the case because of what he did to her. Almost as bad as what he did to Craig, but not as bad.

The worse he'd done to her was knocking her out by throwing her into the wall. Craig had been hospitalized. Of course, when the doctors asked why Craig was there, the excuse that he was a 'very avid skater' passed every time. Craig seemed to have everything he wanted except for a loving father.

At her wedding to Joey Jeremiah, a used car salesman, Julia had met up with a friend from school, Spike. Her daughter was only a year younger than Craig. The two had thought it humorous when they made the two dance. Emma, Spike's daughter, smiled and blushed furiously, as did Craig.

Craig looked great on the wedding day. His father had actually bothered to pay money for Craig to get a small tuxedo for the day. Craig was somewhat timid around Joey. He was always quiet around him. He didn't talk much after the divorce. She'd take him for drives in Joey's car.

After she and Joey's daughter, Angela, was born, Craig seemed a little happier. He seemed to love her. He always made sure she was happy. He played with her and held her while they watched TV. Every so often, he'd get up and have Julia hold her until he got back. But he was very loving towards her. He was sad when he'd have to leave at the end of the weekend. He knew what he'd have to go back to, and so did Julia. Joey, of course, had no idea. Julia would never speak of it.

It was Joey's birthday, and a Friday. Today, Albert was supposed to drop Craig off by five. Craig hadn't shown, and no one had called. She started to worry. She picked up the phone and called him. Nobody answered. 'Oh, God,' she thought. 'No...'

She went downstairs, where the party was. Joey asked her what was wrong. She told him that Craig was supposed to be here by now, but Joey simply had the excuse that maybe they hit traffic. An hour of traffic was not very likely.

Julia went back upstairs. She constantly went outside to check if Craig was coming. No sign of it. She breathed deeply. The phone rang downstairs, and Joey handed the phone to her. It was Albert.

"WHERE IS MY SON?" she screams into the phone.

"My son? Oh, he's in the shower," Albert says.

"BRING HIM HERE!" Julia demands. The party stops, listening to her rage. She screams at her ex for ten more minutes before slamming the phone into the floor. "Joey, we have to call the police. He...he's not bringing him," she whispers, wrapping her arms around her husband.

"Julia, I'm sure he's going to bring him."

"No, he's not."

The next morning, there's a call. Her son's in the hospital. Critical condition. She takes Joey's car and drives as fast the law allows to him. She runs up to his room. There's no one in the room. A doctor passes by the room. Julia stops him. "Where is he? The one that was in this room?" she asks. The doctor sighs.

"He died ten minutes ago," he answers. The words burn through her heart.

"Why?" she asks herself. "Why my son?" She calls Joey, hysterical. She screams that her son is dead. Her only son. Because Joey couldn't take her seriously. He didn't take the situation seriously. But somehow, it's her fault. She didn't say anything. Not in court. Not to Joey. Not to anyone. And now he's dead.

And now, Albert sits in prison. He rots away because he couldn't control himself.

Julia sits at Craig's funeral. She looks around. Craig's friends from school, whom she'd been introduced to during his visits, console each other. Angela sits next to her, crying. For someone so young, she had plenty of emotion. Joey holds Julia as she stares up at the casket, holding the lifeless body of her son. After the funeral, Julia stands and walks up to it. She rests her hand on it. "I'm sorry," are the only words that are uttered from her lips.

She turns to leave. A group of teenagers, also known as Craig's friends, stand in front of her. They apologize for her loss. They say that Craig was a great person. Nice to everyone. Never acted like anything was wrong. And then, just as quick as he'd come into their lives, he was gone. She thanks them for their consolations and Joey wraps an arm around her shoulder, leading her out. And she regrets this death. She loved her son. But she was scared.

Her being scared killed him.

And that's a loss that Albert will have to live with for the rest of his life as he sits behind bars. He will have to live with the fact that he's killed his son.

A/N: Okay, read it and review. Please and thank you.


End file.
